Next time on State of Belief: getting ready for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, convening in Chicago on August 14th. In an age of growing diversity, but also of fragmentation, across all faiths and belief systems, the theme of this year’s Parliament couldn’t be more fitting: A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights.

You’ll hear from Parliament Executive Director Rev. Stephen Avino, Sara Rahim and Phyllis Curott. What’s the potential for religion to truly serve as a shield, and not a bludgeon? How can we best come together not in a struggle to find shared dogma, but rather around the universal values offered by every faith tradition and values system?